How Do You Protect Against Bank Bail Ins?
It’s a question we’ve gotten a lot, especially since the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic Bank this past spring. So how do you protect against bank bail…
What is a Land Trust and How Does it Work?
You may have heard of a Land Trust, but do you really know what it is? About 10 years ago, a client approached us and asked us if we could…
The Grayscale Filecoin Trust and the SEC: What does it mean?
For years, the US Securities & Exchange Commission has tried its best to shut down cryptocurrencies and the companies involved in the digital asset space. By and large, they’ve been…
The Portugal Retirement Visa: Is it Right for You?
You likely know how important it is to get a second residency. It lets you live in another country if you find staying here in the United States just isn’t…
The Corporate Transparency Act: What You Need to Know
Congress tends to bury some of its most repressive legislation in the fine print of bills supposedly intended for other purposes. The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is just one of…
The Tax Gap: Is this the Best Solution?
We’ve long been skeptical when it comes to IRS pronouncements of a “tax gap” – the difference between a taxpayer’s actual income tax liability and what they actually paid. Last…
Wealth Preservation in the Face of Rising Lawsuits and Liabilities
There’s no sugar-coating it: the United States is by far the world’s lawsuit leader. About 90% of the world’s lawsuits are filed in the good old Red, White, and Blue.And…
The War on Cash Escalates
Why Economists and the Government Don’t Like Cash Economists and governments have long had a very low opinion of the cash you carry in your wallet or stash in a…
Proposed IRS Rules Threaten DeFi and the Crypto Industry
Bitcoin's Revolutionary Impact The 2008 invention of bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency, revolutionized not only the concept of money, but how it can be exchanged. Bitcoin is a form of peer-to-peer…
The Costly Consequences of Aretha Franklin’s Incomplete Estate Plan
This Is What Can Happen When You Screw Up Your Estate Plan Who can forget the soaring voice of Aretha Franklin? Whether singing a gospel standard like “Amazing Grace” or…
Are We Going Back to the Gold Standard?
Gold has long been a trusted store of value. For proof, we need look no further than a trip to the Egyptian pyramids or many other ancient sacred sites. But…
FedNow: The First Step Toward an American Central Bank Digital Currency
The Debut of FedNow: Central Bank's New Digital Payment System On July 20, 2023, the Federal Reserve, America’s central bank, announced that FedNow, its new system for instant payments, was…
Erosion of Privacy: What You Need to Know
Erosion of Privacy: Understanding the Expectation of Privacy Here at the Nestmann Group, we regularly bemoan the erosion of our "right to privacy." The root of the problem is a legal…
The Importance of Second Citizenship in Today’s World
The Importance of a Second Citizenship and Passport In an age of increasing passport confiscations, stricter border enforcement, and compulsory denaturalization, obtaining a second citizenship and passport has become more…
The Impact of CBDC on Banks: Transforming Financial Landscapes
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs): The Next Evolution in National Currency One concern some of our clients have is that the government will forcibly convert their assets into a central…
Banking Crisis 2023: Key Failures and Inflation Concerns
On March 8, Silvergate Capital, a major lender to the cryptocurrency industry, announced that it would shut down. Silvergate had only around $11 billion in assets, so it was a relatively small bank. Failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX was one of Silvergate’s largest customers.
US Acknowledges Caribbean CBI Programs Are Legit
Shift in US Policy: Caribbean CBI Programs Legit After nearly ten years of criticizing the citizenship by investment (CBI) programs of five Caribbean nations, the US government has finally acknowledged…
The Importance of Offshore Diversification: A Case Study
We've long suggested that one of the key strategies you can use to gain resilience over your financial future is offshore diversification. Thanks to laws like the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), it’s not as easy for Americans to invest offshore as it used to be. But there are still many options available.
Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme?
The first nationwide pension program arrived in the United States in 1935, when the Social Security Act came into effect. Full benefits started at age 65. The act was later…
Deglobalization: The End of Globalization as We Know it
Before discussing deglobalization, let’s first understand what globalization is, its significance, and how it has shaped the world economy.
Is the Euro Doomed? The Eurozone Crisis 2022
In 1991, a dozen European countries signed the Treaty on European Union, also known as the Maastricht Treaty. Among other provisions, the treaty called for a single European currency: the euro.
Hackers Exposed: Can Someone Unfreeze My Credit?
The Equifax Breach In May 2017, credit bureau giant Equifax had virtually its entire database of consumer credit reports stolen by hackers – more than 148 million in all. The attack…
4 Reasons Why the US Dollar Global Dominance Won’t Be Permanent
We periodically read missives to the effect that "the dollar is doomed." And we have been reading them for many years.
Rise of Investment Migration: Your Path to Global Citizenship
Investment migration services, including residency by investment (RBI) and citizenship by investment (CBI), have surged in recent years, creating a thriving $25 billion annual market.
Inflation Reduction Act: Key Changes and IRS Challenges
In July 2022, we learned that West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin had signed on to a slimmed-down version of President Biden’s "Build Back Better" Plan (BBBP). This updated proposal, now known as the "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022," has sparked widespread debate and analysis.
Pentagon Missing Trillions: What Happened to the Money?
From $21 Trillion to $94.7 Trillion: The Pentagon's Escalating Financial Discrepancies Back in 2019, we poked fun at the Department of Defense (DOD) for, as we put it, "losing $21…
Financial Downturn 2022: Archegos Capital Management Collapse
As financial markets worldwide teeter on the edge, the stories of individual investors facing monumental losses serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of our economic systems. The financial downturn of 2022, punctuated by the collapse of Archegos Capital Management, is a case study in the vulnerabilities lurking beneath a seemingly stable economy.
PEADs Exposed: Secret Government Plans for Emergencies
In May 2022, we welcomed the news that the Brennan Center for Justice had published a batch of formerly secret government documents dating back to the 1950s. These files relate to Presidential Emergency Action Documents (PEADs)—secret plans drafted to ensure "Continuity of Government" (COG) in the aftermath of a nuclear war and, later, in other emergency conditions.
Inflation 2022: Why It’s Worse Than the 1980s
Earlier in April 2022, the Labor Department announced yet another month of inflation worse than at any time since the 1980s. The March Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed inflation increasing at an annual rate of 8.5%, up from 7.9% in February.
Electronic Surveillance: How to Protect Yourself
Electronic Surveillance and the Loss of Privacy Electronic surveillance has matured to the point where a camera the size of a pinhead and an equally miniaturized microphone can provide both…